| Memory loss is an abnormal degree of forgetfulness | | | | -Regardless of age, loss of memory can occur due to |
| and inability to recall past events. Depending on the | | | | depression. This is among the top reasons for memory |
| cause, amnesia or other forms of memory impairment | | | | loss in elders. Mental impairment related to depression |
| may have a gradual or sudden onset. Also, they may | | | | is a treatable condition. |
| either be permanent or temporary. Most of the time, | | | | -Damage due to free radicals can also cause loss of |
| slight forgetfulness occurs as part of the aging | | | | memory. These free radical molecules undermine |
| process. On the other hand, it may be caused by a | | | | other molecules around them. This destabilization |
| severe emotional trauma or brain damage following | | | | results in molecular level damage to the body. Free |
| disease or physical trauma. | | | | radicals may soon damage the blood-brain barrier that |
| Types of memory loss include immediate, short-term | | | | separates the circulating blood and the brain. This will |
| and long-term. Short-term is characterized | | | | further damage the brain happens. |
| remembering some childhood and past events but | | | | -Emotional and physical stress fuels the release of |
| failing to remember happenings in the past minutes. In | | | | stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. |
| long-term, on the other hand, patients are unable to | | | | Continuous exposure to stress hormones results in the |
| recall any event in distant past. | | | | death of nerve cells and memory loss. |
| Among the common causes of memory loss are the | | | | -Low estrogen levels in women also counts as a |
| following: | | | | cause. Women often report a large decrease in their |
| -As a person gets older, he loses nerve cells even if | | | | memory function after they undergo menopause. |
| he does not have aging-associated disease like | | | | For hormone-related memory loss, men and women |
| Alzheimer's. After the age twenty-five, the body stops | | | | may choose bio-identical hormone replacement |
| growing new nerve cells to replace old ones. As a | | | | therapy. Estrogen and stress hormones such as |
| result, when a person reaches the age of seventy, he | | | | cortisol and adrenaline will be replenished, making sure |
| will most likely not remember about one-third of this | | | | there is adequate amount of these hormones in the |
| memory. | | | | body. Once these hormones are stabilized, |
| -Insufficient thiamine, vitamin B12 and protein may also | | | | forgetfulness will be greatly reduced. |
| lead to memory loss. | | | | |